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Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: Doctor Gollum on 08 July 2024, 21:08:48

Title: Cost effective battery tender for the Proper Car.
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 08 July 2024, 21:08:48
Any cost effective suggestions for these?

It's never failed to start, even if sat for over a week, but it's a pita having to clear all the low voltage codes every time I dust the cobwebs off.
Title: Re: Cost effective battery tender for the Proper Car.
Post by: Migv6 le Frog Fan on 08 July 2024, 23:07:11
Tayna. Put your reg. number in and take your pick from the selection on the list.
Title: Re: Cost effective battery tender for the Proper Car.
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 08 July 2024, 23:42:59
Tayna. Put your reg. number in and take your pick from the selection on the list.
Batteries don't need replacing, just monitored  :y
Title: Re: Cost effective battery tender for the Proper Car.
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 08 July 2024, 23:47:13
You need an optimiser.   :)

I have a solar one that you put on the dash and put it into the fag lighter socket, or connect directly to the battery with crocodile clips.  :y
Title: Re: Cost effective battery tender for the Proper Car.
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 08 July 2024, 23:54:21
A quick rummage suggests that Tanya also sells those :D
Title: Re: Cost effective battery tender for the Proper Car.
Post by: Raeturbo on 09 July 2024, 00:01:13
I have one too for the Evo, just make sure you buy a decent one and job done👍
Title: Re: Cost effective battery tender for the Proper Car.
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 09 July 2024, 12:17:29
I just fit the comfort indicator panel Ctek ones, they also have a port for a Ctek charger making top up dead easy.

I have one on the tractor and the F-type.

They have a very very low battery drain and just gently flash the charge status on the three LEDs
Title: Re: Cost effective battery tender for the Proper Car.
Post by: Nick W on 09 July 2024, 12:25:16
I just fit the comfort indicator panel Ctek ones, they also have a port for a Ctek charger making top up dead easy.

I have one on the tractor and the F-type.

They have a very very low battery drain and just gently flash the charge status on the three LEDs


This.


A rebadged basic Ctek unit is what all the fancy toy manufacturers will sell you when you finally complain that your Porferbenghini still won't start when you want to use for the first time in 87.8 days.


The important thing to remember is to fit the hard-wire kit where you can easily plug it in and unplug before you use the car. Not that I've ever seen the results of doing that  ;D
Title: Re: Cost effective battery tender for the Proper Car.
Post by: Migv6 le Frog Fan on 09 July 2024, 12:49:50
I have a C Tek and also two Lidl trickle chargers which have C Tek connectors on them.
Seems to me the Lidl ones do pretty much the same job as the C Tek,although the C Tek isnt the latest model, so myabe newer ones are better ?
Title: Re: Cost effective battery tender for the Proper Car.
Post by: JasonH on 09 July 2024, 14:46:01
I find the Ring Automotive charger/maintainer's excellent and much cheaper the the CTEK ones.

£30 for a 4A model that shows you the battery voltage:

https://shop.ringautomotive.com/rsc904-4a-smart-battery-charger-maintainer.html (https://shop.ringautomotive.com/rsc904-4a-smart-battery-charger-maintainer.html)
Title: Re: Cost effective battery tender for the Proper Car.
Post by: TheBoy on 09 July 2024, 15:37:59
I find the Ring Automotive charger/maintainer's excellent and much cheaper the the CTEK ones.

£30 for a 4A model that shows you the battery voltage:

https://shop.ringautomotive.com/rsc904-4a-smart-battery-charger-maintainer.html (https://shop.ringautomotive.com/rsc904-4a-smart-battery-charger-maintainer.html)
I've had the RSC612 model, which has been rock solid for the several years I've had it, and I've used it an awful lot.  My only real (and minor) complaint of it is that it doesn't have comfort connectors unlike the newer models.

I never had much luck with all the Cteks I had, particularly on the bike, as I'm sure tunnie will remember every time I went to use the bloody thing ;D
Title: Re: Cost effective battery tender for the Proper Car.
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 12 July 2024, 16:38:03
Gone with a Ring 8A one as that should also suffice for keeping it topped up during coding/diagnostic processes. And it's a reasonable compromise between price and output.

A solar one would work in theory, but I would have to connect it via the OBD socket and I don't know that the car would then shut down properly, which would render it moot :-\
Title: Re: Cost effective battery tender for the Proper Car.
Post by: TheBoy on 12 July 2024, 17:26:46
Al, if your digs sessions are long - as they are with my XJ - it might be worth using a proper battery support unit, as don't underestimate the current draw when you turn ign on.

I made a 30A one just for that purpose for around £30
Title: Re: Cost effective battery tender for the Proper Car.
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 12 July 2024, 19:23:00
I will bear that in mind :y

It's more that the car is sat unused for a week or so at a time and when it does get used it's a gentle 20-30mph stroll just to keep things reasonably functional whilst I decide on a course of action to fix the gearbox issues. But, that said, if it saves me from spending 10-15 minutes every time clearing out all the Terminal 30 low voltage codes from everything, then that's got to be worth it.
Title: Re: Cost effective battery tender for the Proper Car.
Post by: TheBoy on 12 July 2024, 21:32:59
Yeah, for keeping the battery is decent condition when unused, that's ideal :y

I'm always putting electricity into mine due to lack of use, I don't like to leave it more than a week or so without topping it up...
Title: Re: Cost effective battery tender for the Proper Car.
Post by: JasonH on 14 July 2024, 08:48:07
For coding you really need a meaty PSU. These days BMW specify 14.5V and 80A minimum! I used to use a 20A PSU for BMW's but it would max out from time to time which wasn't ideal.

My Mini R50 pulls something like 30A if the heater blower and lights are on. Although only around 8A if only the ignition is on.